Is Roach Milk the Next Superfood?

Got (roach) milk? A team of scientists do, and they’re developing it for possible human consumption.

Researchers from the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in Bangalore, India, have been analyzing the “milk” produced by the Pacific beetle cockroach (Diploptera punctata).

Their goal: to create roach-milk-derived protein supplements that can feed the world’s exploding population.

The researchers found that the milk protein crystals from Pacific beetle cockroaches contain four times the nutritional value of cow’s milk. These crystals slowly release proteins, fats, sugars and essential amino acids overtime, which can help maintain energy levels.

The scientists won’t be corralling cockroaches like farmers do cows, however.

They’ve envisioned a roach milking future that’s far more high-tech: using biotechnology to sequence the genes and reproduce the milk in a lab setting.